Animals, typically fish, kept in an aquarium, such as a fish tank produce waste from excrement and respiration. Additionally, uneaten food or dead and/or decaying biological material such as dead or decaying plants and/or animals including fish are also a source of waste in an aquarium. These waste products collect in the aquarium and contaminate the water. As the degree of contamination rises, the risk to the health of the aquarium increases and removal of the contamination becomes critical. Filtration is a common method used for maintenance of healthy aquaria.
Aquarium filters are critical components of both freshwater and marine aquaria. Aquarium filters remove physical and soluble chemical waste products from aquaria, simplifying maintenance. Furthermore, aquarium filters are necessary to support life in an aquarium as aquaria are relatively small, closed volumes of water compared to the natural environment in which most plants and animals, including fish live. While current filter technology provides many benefits over unfiltered aquaria, there are still shortcomings in these designs. Thus, new filtration systems, methods, and devices are desired.